Call my name
by Bitway
Summary: She thought she'd lost him, but turns out she never did. {tenfran}


The boy stands only a few feet away from her, a huge smile plastered upon his face. He was practically grinning from ear to ear; that bright smile managing to shine even in the dark. Hands came up near his chest, there was a slight bounce in his cheerful motion. And that smile of his began to part, freeing his voice.

"Fran!"

It was so familiar, heartwarming. The sound of his voice was soothing, able to put the girl at ease in an instant. It could pull her out of her cold and lonely world that she occasionally shifted back in too. It managed to reach her, cut through the darkness and extend a hand to the girl, always being able to reach her and pull her into the light with one simple word- her name.

The girl's expression changed, a small and gentle smile forming. It was nothing compared to his, but he would say otherwise. Gran's eyes gazed upon the boy before her, Tenma. His whole form was brilliant, shining like a star just for her. She could feel the warmth from the light radiating off of him.

Small steps are taken forward, the girl wanting to reunite with the boy. But, those steps quickly come to a halt. Aquamarine eyes go wide, still fixated on Tenma as she notices the unnatural changes taking place.

His image was becoming translucent, the glow around his body helping with his fading presence. It looked as if he were leaving, departing from this world and into another. His essence, his body, himself. It was all disappearing.

The image tugged at her heart as she recalled this too familiar sight. She had watched it happened to her siblings, watched them leave from her life a second time. Fran didn't want that to happen again. She couldn't loose someone important to her. She didn't want him to lave. He couldn't.

"Tenma!"

Fran shouts his name, loud and echoing in this world only meant for two. Forgetting to walk, she immediately steps into a run. A dash towards the disappearing boy. Arms wrap around him the instant she's close enough to pull Tenma into an embrace. Their bodies met and she can still feel him as he returns the embrace. A good sign. There was hope. He wasn't going to disappear if she held onto him. If she had to, she'd use everything in her power to keep him here, to keep him safe. To keep him alive.

 _But maybe it was her abilities that had done this in the first place?_

It was a thought she never liked having cross her mind. It wasn't true, she wouldn't let it be true.

Her grip tightens around Tenma. She's happy to still feel him, still see him even if he isn't whole. But, she begins to lose hope. The body in her arms feels different. Lighter. Growing colder. Fran could feel him fading, being eaten by this mysterious force.

"No…No…" She breathes out in a quiet panic. Her hold only tightens around him more and more as if holding on to him for _her_ dear life. "You're not going to go…You can't!"

Tenma doesn't respond and it's so strange, she thinks. Maybe it's because he's fading away. Just like they did. He has to keep up his energy to simply _exist_. But he can still speak, can't he? She can still hear his voice, right?

"Please, Tenma…" A shaky breath. Teary eyes. "Call my name…?"

It's a request, simple yet never fulfilled.

The only thing she can hear is the intake of a breath before she finds herself simply embracing thin air. What looks like remnants of dusty and stars are left behind, blowing away even with the lack of wind. The boy that had stood before her had gone. Just like that.

Tears that were only poking at her eyes begin to fall. As does she, to her knees. She doesn't dare hold back the tears. She was strong, but not strong enough, not after taking this blow.

So, she cries.

And cries.

She cries enough that it jolts her awake in bed. Fran finds herself sitting up in bed, body shaking with a heavy pain in her chest. The girl has to catch her breath, a hand being placed against her chest to feel the rapid beating within her.

A drop of water hits the blanket. Her free hand is lifted to lightly touch at the wet stains left behind on her cheek. Her dream had affected her reality, hopefully in only one way.

Fran is still on the bed, trying to recall the last time this had happened. It had been so long since she had woken up with tear stained eyes. After being with Tenma, those nightmares had stopped plaguing her sleep. It was as if he had driven them away from her, but now…she wasn't sure why such a dream crept back into her life.

Actually, she could think of plenty reasons why. The main one that struck was a fear of losing him to the world that had taken everything away. It seemed that world wanted to take him away from her as well. But that wouldn't happen, neither would allow it.

While hands move to wipe at any remaining tears, eyes transfix to the nearby nightstand. Resting on top of it was a single vase, holding a single flower. It was a beautiful flower, pink petals spreading forth to capture the morning's rays of sunlight from the window.

Blankets are pushed aside and feet hit the cold floor. She shivers, but ignores the cold sensation as she walks towards the nightstand. Standing before it, her hands move to gently envelope the flower, ghosting a touch over this once rarity of her life.

Fingers delicately dance over the petals, barely touching them. A finger presses into one. It's real. All of this is real.

Fran lets out the breath she'd been holding, relaxes her shoulders.

The flower was a sign, a gift from her beloved. A rare flower that she spoke so fondly of, the first one she was ever given in her life. She thought it was lost to time, something never to be found again. But, Tenma had found it. For her.

He was still here and with her.

She knows it.

"Tenma…"

His name is said in a quiet yet happy breath. Hands leave the flower, allowing it to take in the full sunlight once more. She continues to wipe at her cheeks, not wanting to look as she had been crying when he came to her (which would be soon enough).

It was only a dream.

And if she were to tell him about it, she could already hear the reassure in his voice, the comfort and innocent determination that would come with such sweet words. She didn't want to tell him about her nightmare, but maybe it wouldn't hurt to be a little selfish to hear him say how he'd never leave her. But hearing him call out her name-

"Fran!"

-was enough to make her smile and scare away any remaining tears.


End file.
